Early Reunion
by Senatoris Imperatoria
Summary: Season 2 AU. What if Mike and El weren't separated for the whole agonizing length of 353 days?
1. Chapter 1

**(AN) I do not own Stranger Things or any related media, characters, or trademarks. This is a work undertaken entirely for my own satisfaction and the enjoyment of readers.**

 **I know I keep saying I'll hold off on new multi-chapter fictions while still working on RAFF, but I couldn't resist writing this after watching "Mike Sings a Song" by Aaron Fraser-Nash on YouTube. This will be a Season 2 AU, and then transition into a more speculative piece (possible Season 3 and beyond). Everything happens the same way in this version, except for things specifically mentioned or the emotional pain our couple could have been subjected to. I hope you enjoy this story. (A/N)**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: We Won't Be Separated**

* * *

It had been 53 days since El had sacrificed herself to save them from the Demogorgon, and Mike Wheeler was beginning to descend into the depths of despair. He had kept an optimistic hope about for the first while, but when she didn't reappear he began to become depressed by the utter hopelessness of the situation. He still called her every night, but lately he had begun to wonder whether she could—or wanted—to hear him. Ted and Karen Wheeler were mostly oblivious to their son's problem, and while Nancy tried to help him she was still overwhelmed with her own grief to be much help.

On this evening, Mike's parents had gone to one of Ted's work events while Nancy had taken Holly to a friend's house which may or may not have been close to Steve Harrington's. Thus, the boy was alone in the Wheeler house when the time came for his nightly call to the girl that haunted his every waking and sleeping thought. "Hi El. It's day 53. You've been gone for nearly two months, and I'm starting to get really worried, El. Everyone else seems to be moving on, but I can't seem to follow suit. Can you hear me? If you can, please respond to me. I need to know you're alright," Mike said into his Supercom. Several tears began to escape from his eyes as he heard the unresponsive static that had become characteristic of his calls. Mike continued: "Goodnight, El. I hope that wherever you are now is safer than where you were before. I'll talk to you tomorrow; I'll call you every night for the rest of my life if that's what it takes." As he set down the device, Mike curled into himself and began to sob miserably. The pain had taken him with vigor, and now he allowed the sadness to overcome him.

* * *

Across Hawkins in a wood-surrounded cabin, El was listening carefully to every word the boy had spoken to her. She could hear the sadness that laced his speech, and when she watched him break into tears she felt her own heart begin to ache painfully. Not able to resist the urge any longer—and emboldened by Hopper's ever lengthening absence—she reached out to him with her mind and forced her way through into his consciousness. Mike gasped, shot up from the fort he was curled in, and exclaimed: "El?".

"Yes, Mike. It's me. I'm here. Please stop being sad. I hate seeing you so sad. I'm here Mike," she spoke softly to him. The boy seemed confused at not seeing her while her voice reverberated so clearly, but quickly realized she was using her powers. The two of them basked in each other's presence for a few moments before El told Mike the whole story of her disappearance and rescue by Hopper. Angry at first, Mike was pacified when El told him that Hopper only intended to keep her safe from the Bad Men who were still looking for her.

* * *

The connection between the two young people grew stronger over the next days. After several contacts they were able to reach out to each other at will; El was still in control of the connection, naturally. The personality shifts that occurred for El and Mike over the first days were remarkable. Longing and sadness had given way to satisfaction and indescribable happiness. Mike's friends and Hopper noticed the two sides of this joint change, but neither party wanted to question positive developments when they made their rare appearance.

When Hopper had especially long days and warned El of a long absence, she would occasionally meet up with Mike on the edge of the forest. These were heartfelt and highly valued reunions for the two, and they both valued all the time they could have together. Mike kept El secret and she never told Hopper about her daily conversations or regular visits with the boy.

* * *

It was on one of these visits—one where they met deeper in the forest—where Mike asked El a very important question. "Hey, El," he said when he walked up to their rendezvous point and saw the curly haired girl; the hair was coming in steadily now. She turned around and waved softly at Mike before running to meet him. The two embraced tightly before pulling back and looking into each other's eyes.

"Hi, Mike. It's good to see you. I haven't seen you in—" she greeted before being interrupted.

"Fourteen days. Yeah; I know El. I keep count of them too," he said with a smile. They stood like that—arms wrapped around each other and eyes peering into each other—for nearly ten minutes before Mike broke the silence again. "Hey, um, I have an important question for you, El," he stuttered, clearly nervous.

She looked back up at him before responding: "Yeah? You can ask me anything, Mike."

"I know we've only known each other for a few months, but I really like you. Not like a friend. Like more than a friend. I know we didn't finish our conversation in the school, but—" Mike rambled before El placed a finger on his lips, silencing him.

"I think I got it Mike. Yes; I'll be your girlfriend. You'll be my boyfriend," El said with a sly grin.

"How—how did you know that was what I'm asking? I didn't realize you knew what those meant," Mike said in shock before his face lit up. "You said yes! Thank you El!" he shouted before placing a gentle kiss on her lips; this time she returned the gesture.

"I've watched a lot of TV since Hopper took me out here," El said after they parted. Mike nodded in understanding: despite slight distortions, TV had allowed El to assimilate to the world at her own pace. There was another joyous moment between the two before Mike ended the silence again.

"I've been wanting to ask that for a long time, El. I was just too nervous. You're the most amazing person I've ever met, and I didn't want to lose you," he said with a blush.

"You're not going to lose me. Promise. You're my favorite, too," she replied with a sweet smile.

* * *

Will and Mike sat on the former's bed in their Halloween costumes. Mike was trying to comfort the boy after the episode on the street, and Will had just opened his mouth to utter a heartbreaking phrase: "Sometimes I feel like I'm going crazy."

Mike looked back at him and responded: "I know what you mean. I used to feel the same way, but I promises it goes away. I'll be there with you, Will. We can get through it if we do it together."

Will smiled and responded: "Thanks, Mike."

* * *

The next time they met, El told Mike all about the box of files she found under Hopper's floor that included her name and that of her mother. "Jane?" Mike questioned.

"Yeah; that's my name I guess, but I don't want you to call me that. El is the name you gave me when you saved me from the rain. I don't want to be called anything else—at least not by you," she said with a grin. Mike looked a little relieved at that information, so she took the moment of silence to tell him that she was going to see her mother.

"You'll be safe, right?" Mike asked worriedly, "Shouldn't you talk to Hopper before disappearing?".

"Yes; I'll be safe. I'm not telling Hopper. He won't let me go, and we had a fight yesterday. Don't question me on this, Mike. I need to do this," she said assertively. Over the past few months, she had moved on from being a nervous girl to be a strong young woman. Mike knew better than to question her, so he just nodded his head.

"When will you be back?" Mike asked.

"I don't know yet, but we won't lose contact. I will visit you every day still, and I'll be able to hear you when we communicate. I need to tell you something before we part ways, though," she said.

"What?" Mike asked.

"I love you," she said simply. She had been watching TV the other day and discovered how significant these words are between boyfriends and girlfriends. Her dictionary had explained why, and she felt immediately that the words described their relationship.

"I love you, too!" Mike exclaimed before wrapping her in another passionate hug. They looked into each other's eyes before pulling apart and parting ways with a quick kiss.

"I'll see you soon, Mike," El said as she turned to leave.

"I'll keep talking to you when it's time, El," Mike returned before leaving.

* * *

A new girl had entered the party recently: Max Mayfield. She wasn't impressed with the nerdy group of boys at first, but after a short time they had grown on her. Mike had accepted her very quickly, and once that bar had been passed it became clear that she was now in the party. The one thing she had not become used to was how eccentric Mike could be. He had the habit of sitting in corners and whispering to himself for brief periods of time when he didn't think anyone was paying attention. At first, she ignored the oddity but eventually she brought it up to Lucas and Dustin: "That isn't normal. Is he okay?". She directed their attention to Mike, who was sitting in the corner of the A/V Room smiling and whispering in a voice too quiet for them to hear.

Lucas looked at him thoughtfully before answering: "I know it's a little weird, but this is actually an improvement. The first months after El disappeared he was really depressed. It sounds insane, but he really did fall in love with her in less than a week. We're just glad he's alright now, even if he's gotten a little strange." Max just nodded in understanding.

"You know, she's not entirely wrong though. After everything settles down again, we really need to talk to him about the—uh—whispering to himself," Dustin said. They all nodded in agreement.

* * *

El had visited Mike in the Void during her long bus ride to Chicago. She told him all about her mother and the sister she had never known about. After reassuring him she would stay safe, he sent her the best of luck and informed her of the goings on back in Hawkins. She promised him she would return soon.

* * *

Kali looked at Jane in shock as the younger girl prepared to leave her. "Come with me," she said resolutely.

Looking back in shock, Kali nodded her head affirmatively before responding: "Okay; I will. Just come with me now so we can get the others to safety." This time, El nodded before getting into the van. They managed to escape the police after nearly 20 minutes of pursuit, and El fixed her sister with a clearly intentioned look. The two young women explained their plan to the small band of misfits quickly, and despite some initial shock they seemed to take it remarkably well.

As the two girls rode through the night on a bus—their outfits drawing quite a bit of attention—El told Kali everything she hadn't already told her. More time than she would ever admit was spent talking about Mike Wheeler. Kali only looked back at the girl in shock: "Jane has a boyfriend. You have a boyfriend."

"Yeah; I do. I love him," El said softly. The look in her eyes made Kali sure that she meant those words.

"I'll have to meet him when we go to Hawkins. I need to make sure he's good enough for my sister," she said with a smile. How had El convinced her to do this? The girl had an assertiveness and assurance of purpose that was formidable at its most congenial. They settled into silence as El contacted Mike in the Void.

* * *

The thumping sound had ended in front of the door to the Byers' residence, and the entire group stood ready to greet whatever was preparing to enter. They were all duly shocked; therefore, when Mike exclaimed "Oh!" and dropped the candlestick he was holding. A smile took root on his face—inappropriate to the circumstances the others thought—and he walked calmly to the door.

"What are you doing, Mike?" Nancy exclaimed.

"Get back here, kid!" Hopper shouted at the same time.

"Hold on everyone. Everything is under control," Mike confidently responded to the confused crowd of people. Opening the door, they all gasped when two young women in dark attire entered the room.

"El!" several people exclaimed.

"Hey, El. You're a little earlier than I expected," Mike said more calmly than anyone was expecting. He drew her into a hug as soon as the two had made it through the doorway.

"You knew she was coming?" Lucas asked incredulously.

"What's going on here?" Hopper asked, "You knew where she was?". The man looked shocked and a little angry.

"I did know where she was, but you shouldn't be too offended. You know as well as I do that sometimes you have to keep some things—or people—secret," Mike said pointedly.

Looking back in surprise, Hopper managed to ask: "What do you mean, Mike?".

"What do I mean? Well then, I guess I'll tell everyone about it then. El has been living with Hopper for the past few months. He hid her from the Bad Men and tried to keep her whereabouts secret from all of us," Mike said with a triumphant look.

"I clearly didn't succeed," Hopper said—not wanting to acknowledge the tension that had risen in the room.

"No. You succeeded, but you just had help you didn't know about. After day 53, El contacted me in her mind. We've kept in contact and even met up a few times ever since," Mike said.

"I knew you were too happy about something!" Dustin yelled excitably. The group went back-and-forth in conversation while the entire story was laid bare. Everyone was still in shock, but it was unclear whether El, Mike, or Hopper had been responsible for the largest surprise.

"So, you're Kali?" Mike asked the woman as he allowed the group to greet El on their own. He was avoiding eye contact with Chief Hopper, but that awkwardness could be sorted out at a later time.

"Yes, and you're Mike," Kali said. The two nodded at each other before Mike extended his hand.

"I'm glad to meet you. El told me a little about you," Mike said when the young woman cautiously took his hand.

"She had a lot to say about you. It's good to finally meet her boyfriend," she said with a grin. Mike grimaced slightly when he heard the gasps from behind him. Turning around, he met a few curious gazes.

"Of course, they're dating! Nothing else can surprise me tonight. That doesn't even make the top-ten list!" Steve said from the edge of the room.

* * *

After El departed on her mission with Hopper and Kali, the party looked at Mike expectantly. "So, were you going to tell us about El?" Lucas asked.

"I wanted to, but she asked me not to tell anyone. I could never betray her trust or put her at greater risk. I'm very sorry, though," Mike said solemnly.

"We understand, Mike," Dustin said.

"I'm just glad that you didn't go the whole year without her. You were miserable to be around for a while," Lucas said with a laugh. The four of them smiled and laughed some more before Steve interrupted.

"At least this explains why you act so weird, Wheeler," Max said.

"What are you talking about?" Mike asked her.

"Normal people don't disappear into corners and talk to themselves," she said with a laugh.

"I thought I was more discreet," Mike said with a blush.

"You've never been discreet!" Lucas said with a laugh.

"Hey guys, I've got an idea of how we can help El with her mission!" Dustin said excitedly.

* * *

 **(AN) That's where I'm going to leave it tonight. I hope you enjoyed this piece. Please leave a review with your thoughts and opinions. Was this well-conceived? Was it well executed? I'm not sure how I feel about this one, but I leave the judgement in your capable hands. Thank you for reading! (A/N)**


	2. Chapter 2

**(AN) I do not own Stranger Things or any related media, characters, or trademarks. This is a work undertaken entirely for my own satisfaction and the enjoyment of readers.**

 **This is the second chapter of this AU. I hope you continue to enjoy it even though I am unsure how many more chapters there will be. I haven't decided whether to go beyond the Season 2 endpoint yet. Remember that if I don't go into detail about a series of events that means they proceed in the same manner as the canon. Please leave your thoughts in a review and enjoy reading. (A/N)**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: We Will Survive**

* * *

Dustin explained his "brilliant" idea to aid El, Hopper, and Kali on their mission. Everyone was onboard with the plan but Steve—he worried more about these kids' safety than he would ever verbally admit. The standoff was shattered when a loud sound interrupted from the Byers' driveway. The confrontation that erupted with Billy was going poorly for Steve, and the kids realized which way the winds were blowing. Max and Mike glanced at each other before the later nodded to the former.

Grabbing the bottle and syringe off the side table, Mike handed them to the girl before saying, "Come on; lets' take care of this." Max nodded and the two walked towards the grappling pair. Mike lashed out with his arm and feet, managing to land a few harmless but painful hits on Billy. The enraged teen spun around to attack Mike when the boy suddenly grabbed the aggressor's mullet—momentarily tilting his head downward. Max jumped in behind her stepbrother and jabbed the syringe into his neck. Both kids backed away quickly before Mike grabbed the implements from Max and refilled the chamber. As soon as Billy stumbled, he dashed forward and gave another injection to the large boy's arm. Turning back to Max, he said, "You can never be too careful." The two of them smirked and high-fived before turning towards the now-gaping Dusting and Lucas.

"That was a little scary, you guys. The two of you shouldn't be that natural at take-downs," Dustin said.

"Thanks for the save," a bruised but still conscious Steve said as he picked himself up off the kitchen floor.

"Yeah; he deserved it. Now I think we were getting ready to aid our friends before my brainless kin got here," Max said.

"No! We're not doing that! It's far too dangerous!" Steve exclaimed.

"We're going whether you like it or not. If that means knocking you out too, then so be it," Mike said while refilling the syringe again. Max nodded and smacked one fist into the other palm.

"I'll hold him down Wheeler," the girl said.

"Hang on! Hang on a second! Fine! Fine, but I'm driving and you brats are letting me take all of the reckless risks," Steve said. The pair of young friends could be intimidating when they worked together like this.

"Don't mess with the Dungeon Master," Dustin whispered to Lucas with a sly grin.

* * *

On the way to the cornfield, they all noticed Mike talking to himself once again. Seeing their questioning glances, Mike spoke up: "I told El the new plan. Were supposed to detonate in twenty minutes. After the demodogs are out of the way Kali will create the illusion that the tunnels are sealed behind them."

"This is so weird. You're really talking to your little 'friend' Wheeler?" Steve remarked before Mike nodded.

"We thought they were insufferable before; now they're going to be impossible. Literally in each other's' heads," Lucas said with a sigh.

"It's kind of neat," Max interjected.

"You know, it would have been easier if the two of you didn't get along so well," Dustin said, gesturing to Mike and Max.

* * *

After the lights had died down, the kids and Steve returned to the Byers' residence to await the others. Mike and Max moved Billy—still unconscious—out of the house and into his car. Steve drove the car to the school where Hopper picked him up; El communicated the situation to him.

Will returned with the others only a few moments after Hopper's Blazer pulled up to the house. Everyone greeted each other warmly before they went inside the house They all exchanged the events of the evening while making plans for El's safety. None of them knew what was ahead, but they knew it would be manageable together.

* * *

 **(AN) I'm not sure this was very good, but here it is regardless. Please leave a review with your thoughts and suggestions. I'm still working on RAFF but am currently bogged down in a lack of new ideas for moving the plot forward. I might just publish some Will/Eli fluff to keep you satisfied. Leave a review on RAFF if you have any thoughts or suggestions there. Thank you! (A/N)**


End file.
